But Shikamaru was the only one left outside watching the clouds, even though it is logical that in an odd numbered group someone will always be left out. Logic can’t stave off loneliness, though. NejiShika

A/N:
I've never written this pairing before; it came to me when I
finished A Return To Normalcy, perhaps I can be a yaoi writer
after all. I now have upwards of 30 stories posted here. This is a
good writing day for me. I hope people will read this.

Dedication:
Lala to the power of 2 crack queen

There
was a reason that Shikamaru always took to watching clouds instead of
worrying about his problems like other people; it was simple,
Shikamaru, although capable of solving most problems considered such
worries a waste of energy.

Others
liked to muse that Shikamaru's efficient conservation of energy was
the reason why he hadn't finally gotten together with Temari or
Ino.

That
was not the reason.

But
his mother still liked to nag him about his lack of marriage
prospects, albeit it was now over the phone as Shikamaru had long
since moved out of his childhood home. Leaving his father to go deaf
listening to his mother's complaining.

It
wasn't that Shikamaru didn't love his mother; he did or she might
have killed him a long time ago, but the relationship that his
parents had didn't seem fulfilling enough for him. He didn't want
so many responsibilities.

Town
gossips liked to use that fact to explain away his lack of girl
chasing.

That
was not the reason.

All
that really mattered to him was his freedom, freedom to watch the
clouds, to sleep, to watch the clouds some more, to sleep and to
collect his paycheck at the end of the week.

Shikamaru
sometimes did not have the strength to care about another person,
which really translates into selfishness. But that doesn't matter
right now.

Ino
likes to flaunt her new relationship in his face to spark jealousy
that will maybe motivate him to do something about his life; it
doesn't work. But she means well and Shikamaru is now used to her
intricate ploys.

He
is happy that Chouji finally got the girl, the Akimichi deserved it,
and if anyone put up with more crap it was Chouji. And Chouji had the
patience to deal with Ino's incessant barking.

They
balanced each other out.

But
Shikamaru was the only one left outside watching the clouds, even
though it is logical that in an odd numbered group someone will
always be left out. Logic can't stave off loneliness, though.

Clouds
can't carry on conversation at the breakfast table, the cool breeze
won't tell you about its day; the dewy grass won't hold you. You
can commune with nature but it won't commune back.

That
is the lesson that Shikamaru has learned.

Predictably
he has learned it the hard way, but will not do anything to change
it, he went about his life completing missions and staring at clouds
until the sun disappeared. His routine was never subject to change.
Not once.

Until
one day he had slouched his way toward his favorite meadow to find
someone else occupying it. It was too troublesome to find another so
he left Hyuuga Neji to do whatever he needed to do, in hope of not
having to come across an awkward situation.

But
Neji was there the next day, the day after that, and Shikamaru's
curiosity was slowly gnawing away at him until one day he finally
broke the thick silence that hung between them, "That cloud looks
like ramen." He remarked in his usual drawl.

"It
does." Neji replied.

And
that was how it started, Shikamaru would often stumble upon Neji and
occasionally when the silence became unbearable Shikamaru would
remark about something that had happened on a mission and Neji would
reply and vice versa until they lapsed into silence again.

One
night Shikamaru found himself inviting Neji over for dinner, which
the boy quietly acquiesced to. His brain was shouting curses at him
for doing something so troublesome and for once Shikamaru ignored
that voice as he ordered takeout.

When
the takeout had been devoured Shikamaru found himself trying to make
excuses for Neji to stay longer, before any of them could venture out
of his mouth Neji had kissed him.

Of
course it would have been troublesome to not kiss back, and the five
minutes before they needed air was a strange yet pleasant experience
for Shikamaru. Staring into Neji's eyes, which were a
non-troublesome color by the way, Shikamaru finally took the
initiative and roughly grabbed the older boy's chin and pulled him
down for another kiss.

Which
set off a course of actions not even Neji's Byakugan could have
foreseen, the kisses were now more violent and frantic, the fingers
no longer caressing but now pulling, ripping and tearing.

After
which Neji remarked, "Maybe it would have been less troublesome to
have done this on a bed."

Shikamaru
smiled, "We could still do that." He said lazily, as he aimlessly
drew circles on Neji's chest, Neji smirked, "Let's."

Shikamaru
stood up, calmly straightened his shirt and all but dragged Neji to
his bedroom, and Neji discovered where all of Shikamaru's energy
went.

The
next morning when Shikamaru stole Neji's tea, he realized that
maybe effort wasn't so useless after all. "I'm sticky." Neji
announced as he swept his hair off his neck.

"As
am I." Shikamaru said.

Neji
smirked and attacked Shikamaru's next again, "Race you to the
shower?"

"It
will be less troublesome to take one shower."

The
following afternoon Shikamaru and Neji were seen with their arms
slung around each other, rather possessively, Shikamaru stepped into
the Yamanaka flower shop.

"You
can't accuse me of being lazy now." He said in his best
I-told-you-so voice to a shocked Ino and a cheerful Chouji, then he
flounced out in a very un-Shikamaru like way.

OWARI

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